Abstract

Professor Josef Erben, MD, DSc. died on May 24, 2015 in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. He was one of the most outstanding Czechoslovak medical personalities who lived in the 20th and at the beginning of the 21st century. His work significantly influenced the development of general internal medicine and clinical nephrology, especially renal replacement therapy and kidney transplantation. He finished his medical studies at the Medical School of Charles University in Hradec Králové in 1951. From 1956 to 1993 he worked at the 1st Internal Clinic in Hradec Králové. From 1990 to 1993 he was the Head of this Clinic. Professor Erben’s principal contributions were at the national level: 1) He was a founder of regular dialysis treatment of chronic renal failure in Czechoslovakia; 2) He designed the project and production of the Hradec hemodialysis system; and at the international level: 3) Using the Subclavian vein, as vascular access for hemodialysis; 4) The development of a hemodialysis coil of Czechoslovak production of the Chiradis type for hemodialysis.